Daniel Radcliffe may not identify as a superfan of Weird Al Yankovic, but he certainly knows more about the parody singer’s catalog than the average fan. And that’s important, considering that the plays Yankovic himself in Eric Appel’s new biopic-parody movie Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
“I probably wouldn’t say ‘superfan,’ because I know what the superfans of Weird Al are and the level of knowledge that they have,” Radcliffe told IndieWire. “But I’d say I’m up there. I’m much, much more than just ‘I know the hits’ Al fan. I’m much further along than that.”
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story arrives Friday, Nov. 4 on The Roku Channel, where it is available to stream for free. One of the best parts about the film is Radcliffe’s comedic timing.
Also Read: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story Involved ‘Absolutely No Research on Al’s Actual Life,’ Director Says
“One of the first conversations I had with Eric [Appel] was about the tone of the jokes,” Radcliffe added. “He was like, ‘None of them are played as jokes. I want you to play it absolutely 100 percent seriously the entire time.’ And then that allows the world around you to be as crazy as it gets because it is sort of centered by those five leads … those are the people that have to really be grounded in reality and heart.”
Yankovic himself appears in the film as a music executive who tells Radcliffe’s version of him that he’ll never make it in the music business, which is pretty hilarious. And in case you were wondering, Weird Al is every bit as nice as you’d hope for him to be, according to Radcliffe.
“He was awesome. He is what everyone says he is, which is delightful. He’s incredibly sort of just sweet and kind and unassuming. Not the loudest guy in the room by any stretch of the imagination,” he said. “And you got the impression that he was having a really nice time on the set and just really enjoying being there, which I think made us all feel good. The film is a real celebration of him, and so for him to be seeming to enjoy that on set was very reassuring.”
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is now streaming on The Roku Channel.
Main Image: Daniel Radcliffe in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Photo Credit: The Roku Channel.
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